Hopeful Music

Songs designed for this effect go back centuries, and indeed the origins of music include its intention to bring hope within communities. This is equally evident in religious hymns, that not only praise their God, but in doing so provide strength and faith. Examples of these types of songs are Amazing Grace and All Things Bright And Beautiful. Closely linked to this, and more so outpouring a hopeful celebratory sound, is gospel music, with artists like Mahalia Jackson and The Staple Singers delivering sermons of hope to a wider audience.

In popular culture, evoking hope is a powerful tool, and one which has been used in songs of all genres. In blues and country music, the lyrics often hold a hopeful defiance, of coming through difficult life situations, with Hank Williams and Dolly Parton popular exponents of this. Folk music, too, often sings protest songs, which by their nature, focus on a negative event and offers hope of change. Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan are famous musicians of this art form.

Hopeful songs have entered charts and soundtracks for decades, and continue to do so. Past examples that remain universal classics of songs that lyrically yearn for a more hopeful future include Imagine by John Lennon, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, Somewhere Over The Rainbow on The Wizard Of Oz, and High Hopes by Frank Sinatra. Indeed, countless song have the word in their title, similar to this.

Aside from the lyrical impact of the aforementioned songs, instrumental music can also evoke the emotion. This can be through more spiritual and meditational music that relaxes and focuses the mind and brings an internal hope upon the listener. Or it can be within more upbeat dance songs, from high tempo electronic music to ballroom dance genres like latin and jive, that all display an energetic positivity, and ultimately the feel of hopeful music.